Jeep’s 600-hp BEV Crashes 2-Row SUV SegmentJeep’s 600-hp BEV Crashes 2-Row SUV Segment

SAN DIEGO – Imagine the Jeep Grand Wagoneer crossed with the Dodge Charger BEV muscle car and you get an idea of what the new Jeep Wagoneer S is all about. It’s a cushy 2-row SUV with a luxurious interior that goes 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in a thrilling 3.4 seconds. It is Jeep’s first global battery-electric vehicle in the U.S., and it is crashing the BEV 2-row SUV segment with the genes of a real muscle car: 600 hp and 617 lb.- ft. (837 Nm) of torque and a battery range of more than 300 miles (483 km).
Better yet, Jeep promises the Wagoneer S will be competitively priced, unlike many models sold during the reign of former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares.
Once upon a time, the iconic Jeep brand was able to command premium prices in many segments, but critics say Tavares went too far by focusing on profits and ignoring market share. In 2024 sales of the Jeep brand fell 9%. High-volume entry-level SUVs like the Jeep Renegade and Cherokee were canceled and prices of more expensive popular vehicles such as the Gladiator pickup were so high dealers complained soaring stickers were chasing away buyers. Gladiator sales dropped 24% last year.
Now that Tavares is gone, Bob Broderdorf, Senior Vice President of Jeep Brand NA, kicks off the Wagoneer S presentations here in sunny California with a stinging video presentation criticizing the previous pricing policies. “The number one rejection reason (from potential buyers) was price,” Broderdorf says.
“We have quickly transformed the price position of nearly every single Jeep we make,” he says, adding that $3.2 billion is being invested in new products this year and the Wagoneer S is one of them. It will be heavily promoted along with other Jeep products, including television spots during the Super Bowl, Broderdorf says.

Wagoneer S interior offers premium materials and tech.

The relatively low-slung Wagoneer S has only 6.4 ins. (163 mm) of ground clearance, but Jeep still encourages off-road adventures. The SUV is aimed at a new subset of customers including younger and more female buyers but isn’t giving up on its rugged core values. “Beautiful Things Can Still Get Dirty” is the name of the campaign that will run across television and Jeep’s social media channels.
Jeep says the main competitors for the Wagoneer S will be versions of similar-sized BEV SUVs such as the 456-hp Tesla Model Y, 500-hp Cadillac Lyric, 483-hp Genesis Electrified GV70 and 516-hp BMW iX xDrive50. We would add the 500-hp Acura ZDX (based on the Lyric platform) to the list as well.
The Wagoneer S gets to 60 mph faster than all these competitors listed – and beats or matches them in range as well.
The 2024 Wagoneer S launch edition we evaluated is loaded up with options and is $72,000 including destination fee, but Jeep says the upcoming 2025 models will be available in lower-cost trim levels. How long the $7,500 income tax credit for EVs will last is anyone’s guess, but Jeep is offering various leases for about $600 for 24 months with a $5,000 down payment.
Exterior Design
The Wagoneer S design team used virtual reality and innovative technologies to create a modern, aerodynamic vehicle. The exterior design is sleek and aerodynamic, but the profile also is unavoidably generic, a price paid to have a coefficient of drag of 0.29, making it the most aerodynamic Jeep ever, improving driving range. A large functional spoiler on the rear hatch (pictured, below) does add an eye-catching aesthetic.

Spoiler helps make Wagoneer S most aerodynamic Jeep ever.

Jeep’s exterior designers deserve special recognition for solving an especially vexing problem. The electric Wagoneer S doesn’t need a seven-slot grille for engine cooling, but it wouldn’t look like a Jeep without the iconic grille. Kudos to the exterior design team that recreated a virtual grille with a slim LED lighting system.
Interior Design
The 2024 launch edition captures many of the luxury features found in the lavish Grand Wagoneer 3-row SUV. Premium features include a dual-pane sunroof, 45 sq.-ins. (290 sq.-cm) of usable touchscreen displays – including a touchscreen in front of the passenger seat – heated and ventilated front and rear seats; and a 1200-watt McIntosh audio system (including an awesome digital representation of iconic McIntosh analog meters).
There also is a new steering wheel design called a “squircle” (squared off circle) that is functional and sporty, with the flat part for better visibility of the instrument cluster. A spokesperson also points out the steering wheel is covered with an anti-microbial coating that is permanent and provides a new level of protection and vehicle cleanliness.
Driving Impressions
Verifying the SUV’s ability to rocket to 60 mph faster than most muscle cars is great fun, but exploring the beautiful twisty roads around San Diego also was rewarding. The incredible amount of torque combined with the SUV’s 5,700-lb. (2,585-kg) heft and low center of gravity reminded us of the secure “bank vault on wheels” ride of Mercedes-Benz models from decades ago. However, the brakes are not as confidence-inspiring as the 6-piston Brembo brakes we evaluated on the Acura ZDX last fall.
The Verdict
Jeep desperately needed a distinctive and credible entry in the BEV 2-row SUV segment that would attract both traditional and new customers. The 600-hp Wagoneer S is a strong start.